Competing on Your Period? Menstrual Cycles, Women's Hormones, and Birth Control Effects on Female Athletes With Dr. Jolene Brighten

I sit down with board certified naturopathic endocrinologist Dr. Jolene Brighten to get more informed on an extremely important topic for female athletes: the menstrual cycle + women’s hormones, how to work with them naturally for higher performance, and how going on birth control to “control” for your period may not be the best option for female athletes. -women’s hormones and how they affect the body -the four stages of the menstrual cycle -why ovulation is essential to the female body -how food plays a role in balancing hormones -understanding exercise with the phases of your menstrual cycle and building strength -the possible benefits for female athletes tracking their energy throughout their cycle to identify the highs and lows for training/performance -competing on your period: how stress/adrenaline can be affected -concussions: worsened symptoms + longer recovery time if you sustain a head injury during specific phases of your menstrual cycle  -the key differences in women’s hormones when on birth control vs. off birth control -how birth control affects brain development  -how birth control can affect body composition and hinder muscle growth/strength building -how birth control can throw a wrench in how you handle stress/adrenaline in competition -common physiological and behavioral side effects of birth control Dr. Brighten Website: https://drbrighten.com Is This Normal BOOK: https://drbrighten.com/product/is-this-normal/ Beyond the Pill BOOK: https://drbrighten.com/product/beyond-the-pill/ Dr. Brighten Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten/